Automatic machine for the assembly of heels to the soles of shoes



Sept. 20, 1966 A. BRUGGI AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR THE ASSEMBLY OF HEELS TO THE SOLES OF SHOES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 13, 1964 I N VENTOR. 95 07 0 Ki'ru Sept. 20, 1966 A. BRUGGI 3,273,184

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR THE ASSEMBLY OF HEELS TO THE SOLES OF SHOES Filed April 13, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m; e411 6/ J- WWW United States Patent 3,273,184 AUTOMATIC MACEHNE FOR THE ASSEMBLY OF HEELS TO THE SOLES OF SHOES Alberto Bruggi, Dr. Cicogna Franco & Co., Via Visconti di Modrone 14a, Milan, Italy Filed Apr. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 359,170 13 Claims. (Cl. 12-16.4)

This invention relates to automatic machinery, particularly automatic machinery for the assembly of a heel onto the sole of a shoe.

One object of this invention is the provision of an automatic machine for the accurate application of the heel of a shoe to the shoe sole.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention showing the base of the machine and the operating members thereof in the positions they assume at the start of the machine operation;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the machine according to FIG. 1 showing operating members of the same machine in the positions assumed thereby in the final stage of operation;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in perspective, of one of the operating members of the machine according to FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a further operating member of the machine according to FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 5 is a partial, partly side elevational view of the machine according to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The advantages and operating features of the machine according to the present invention will be best understood if it is considered that only until very recently the operations regarding the assembly of a heel with a shoe sole has always been carried out by hand according to handicraft techniques.

With special reference to the figures and the reference numerals of the drawings, the machine according to the present invention includes a base 1 to which are connected different pneumatically or hydraulically operated operating members.

Thus, base 1 supports a movable slide 3. The latter is arranged to be slidable along a guide 4 which extends transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the base 1.

Slide 3 is provided with a tapped hole adapted to receive a screw element 6 which latter serves as a stop to lock the slide in any desired position along the guide 4.

The slide 3 is, in addition, movable in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base of the machine. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 the above mentioned guide 4 is, in fact, in turn connected to a guide 2 also provided with a locking element 6 and arranged to permit movement of the guide 4 together with the slide 3 also in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine.

From the above it is clear that the slide 3 can be moved into an infinite number of positions, thereby making it possible to perfectly center the sole of a shoe, on the base.

The slide 3 is provided with a pair of gripper arms 16 and 17, each hinged at one end and carrying at the other end a guide roller 18 and 19, respectively.

The said arms 16 and 17 cooperate to form a selfcentering positioning means which accurately positions a sole 7 at the required location with respect to the base 1,

3,273,184 Patented Sept. 20, 1966 said arms 16 and 17 are preferably connected to each other by a spring or other suitable elastic element arranged to bias them toward each other so as to keep them in a normally closed position.

A further pair of rollers 8 and 9 are, respectively supported by a pair of horizontal arms 33 shown in FIG. 5 fixed at one of their ends to a vertical pivot 21 provided on the base 1 at the underside thereof. The arms 33 cooperate with each other and with the elements 16 and 17 to fasten to and to accurately center on the base 1, the sole 7 of a shoe.

An element 10 is pivotably fixed to said base 1, as best seen in FIG. 5 and is pivotable about an axis substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the machine through an angle of approximately with respect to the base 1, i.e. between a position where said member 10 is substantially parallel to the base 1 and a position substantially perpendicular thereto.

The above mentioned element 10 is clearly illustrated on FIGS. 4 and 5; in the latter figure there is clearly shown the device which causes the rotation of the element 10; more specifically, the previously mentioned device 10 includes a lever 22 rigidly connected therewith. Lever 22 is pivotably connected to base 1 by pivot 23.

A pulley 26 having an axis 27 is connected to the lower portion of the base 1 by a frame 28. At one end of lever 22 there is connected a cable 25 which is partially wound around pulley 26.

The other end of cable 25 is connected to arm 56 which latter is fastened, in turn, to a vertical shaft support member 29.

The support element 29 is in turn mounted on a substantially horizontal plate 30 which is slidably supported by a pair of longitudinally extending guide rails 31 provided at the underside of base 1.

An elastic member such as a spring 24 is connected between the lever 22 and the base 1 in a manner to permanently bias member 10 toward its perpendicular position with respect to the plane of base 1, i.e. clockwise as seen in FIG. 5.

A pneumatically operated drive means 20 is provided with a piston rod 32 extending in direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine and connected to plate 30.

In response to actuation of drive means 20, the piston rod 32 moves in a direction to the left into its fully extended position as seen in FIG. 5. Movement into the FIG. 5 position resulting in tension on the cable 25, which in turn results in lowering the element 10 to the position illustrated in FIG. 5 When, on the other hand, the plate 30 is moved towards the shoe sole, the cable 25 releases the lever 22 to the action of spring 24 which latter will cause the element 10 to pivot out of the position shown in FIG. 5 and into the position shown in FIG. 2.

Element 10 is provided with gripper means, including a pair of jaws 34 and 35, arranged to open or close in response to actuation by a control means which may include a hydraulic or pneumatic piston, cylinder arrangement 36, 37 arranged, as seen in FIG. 4, to cooperate with a double arm lever 38, 41 pivoted at 39 between supports 40, to pivot the same about its pivot axis.

The arm 41 is coupled to the one jaw 35.

The latter, therefore, due to the action imparted on it by the pneumatic hydraulic arrangement 36, 37 will move toward or away from the other fixed jaw 34 to respectively release or grip a part of a shoe sole therebetween.

An arm 42 extends transversely from vertical shaft 43 which is supported in the shaft support 29 which latter is mounted on slide plate 30.

Vertical shaft 43 is movable in axial direction thereof by a cylinder, piston device, such movement occurring due to the action imparted on said piston by pressure fluid introduced in one of the ends of the cylinder 44, and resulting in vertical movement of the arm 42, which is supported by the shaft 43.

Accordingly, the anchoring element 46 carried by said arm 42, may be moved up or down.

In the latter case, the element 46 will press an upside down positioned heel 47 down onto the movable slide plate 30.

An arm 48 supports a mechanical pressing device 49 which carries an inflatable member 50.

Device 49 is also pneumatically operated through supply conduit 11 which actuates a piston cylinder arrangement 18 which in turn pushes downwards pressing members 14 connected thereto. These elements 14 carry the inflatable member 50 and press the same against the sole 7 keeping the latter pressed against the upper surface of the base 1 even before member 50 is inflated.

Arm 48 is supported on shaft 15 for rotation therewith whenever pneumatic or hydraulic device 51 is actuated, thus causing axial movement of shaft 52 which latter is axially supported in a stationary guide 53, having a cylindrical cam portion 54.

The shaft 52, in addition to axial movement, can rotate within the stationary guide 53, and for this purpose includes a cylindric-shaped radially extending cam follower 55 which engages the stationary cam portion 54.

Cam follower 55 will cause rotary movement of the shaft 52 when the latter, due to the action of the hydrau- 'lic or pneumatic means 51, is axially moved. Thus, the arm 48, while turning about the axis of shaft 52 will undergo a lifting or lowering movement with respect to the base 1.

Conduits 11 and 12 which supply pressure fluid to the pressing device 13 and the inflatable member 50 respectively, are connected to .a compressor via a hydraulic or pneumatic control circuit.

The operation of the machine is as follows: FIG. 1 shows the operating member of the machine in its starting position. In the course of the preliminary operating stage, the shoe heel 48 is duly fixed to the body of the slide plate 30 through the anchoring element 46.

The latter, in order to secure the heel 47 to the slide plate 30, is lowered by the hydraulic or pneumatic means 44.

The downward movement of the anchoring device 46 results from the downward movement of shaft 43 which can slide in the vertical guide 29. Thus lowering of the element 45 results in lowering of shaft 43 and arm 42 whereby the member 46 presses the heel 47 down upon the upper surface of the slide plate 30.

In the first operating position of the parts of the machine, the arm 48 will, as seen in FIG. 1, be in a position at the side of the machine and raised with respect to the base 1 so as to be out of the way, leaving the work area free for the operator.

The slide plate 30, in turn, is in its rearmost position and the member is in its initial position substantially parallel with the surface of base 1 so that the grippers 34 and 35 are adjacent to and parallel with the base 1.

In the course of the first operating stage, the sole 7 will be manually introduced into the jaws 16, 1'7 and 33, these jaws including, respectively, the locating and positioning rollers 18, 19, 8 and 9.

In the course of said operating stage, the rear or breast flap portion of the loose outsole 7 is introduced into and gripped between the jaws 34 and 35 carried by element 10.

A heel 47 is positioned upside down on plate 30 and secured thereto by lowering of the member 46.

In order to apply the outsole 7 to the loose heel 47, the operating elements of the machine are moved into the positions illustrated in FIG. 2. In the latter position, the slide plate 30 has been moved forward in the manner described above, thus causing the heel 47 to approach to the rear portion of the sole 7. At the same time, that is,

simultaneously with the approaching of the heel to the sole, the element 10 is rotated approximately by the lever 22, moving element 10 out of the horizontal position, into a substantially vertical one. Lever 22 as previously stated is actuated by thespring 24.

-Due to the aforesaid tilting of the element 10, the rear portion of the sole 7 will be bent toward the front portion thereof until the two portions are approximately at right angles to each other. After bending, adhesive is applied to the rear portion at its lower surface, i.e., prior to the application'of the same to the side surface of the rear portion of the heel 47.

Contemporaneously to the above operations, the arm 48 is made to rotate toward the sole and is lowered by cam means 54, 55 in such a way as to result in contact of inflatable member 50 with the sole. Also contemporaneously to the above operations, fluid under pressure is fed into the conduit 11 connected to the hydraulic or pneumatic device 13 which latter is connected to presser members 14 and arranged to push these members 14 downwardly so as to press the inflatable member 50 into even better engagement with the sole 7 pressing the latter to the above mentioned base 1 even before said member 50 is inflated.

At approximately the same time, through the conduit 12, there is fed into the inflatable member 50, fluid under pressure. Member 50, preferably made of synthetic rubber, and due to the pressure at its interior will expand, thus adapting itself to the shape of the rear portion of the sole and heel and pressing the rear portion of the sole against the rear side portion of the heel 47.

In this way, perfect and controlled adhesion of the rear portion of sole 7 to the side portion of heel 47 is automatically obtained.

The shape and the thickness of the wall of the inflata'ble member 50 are such that the rear portion of the sole 7 will be firmly pressed thereby onto the facing side surface of the heel 47, progressively, from the lowermost portion upwards.

The member 50 is maintained in its expanded condition till a perfect drying of the adhesive used to secure the sole 7 to the heel 47 is obtained.

The operation thus consists of first securing a sole to a support surface of a base member, then rotating the rear portion of the sole upwardly with respect to the remaining portions of the sole, applying adhesive to the remaining portions of the sole, applying adhesive to the back of the upwardly rotated rear portion of the sole securing a heel upside down on a movable plate behind the rear portion of the sole, moving the plate and the heel thereon toward the raised rear portion of the sole and applying to the rear portion of the sole an inflatable member which, upon inflation thereof, presses the adhesive coated rear portion of the sole into firm engagement with the adjacent, substantially vertically extending side surface of the heel.

The operation of the elements 44, 51, 20, 36 and 13 may be pneumatically or hydraulically controlled in a manner well known to the art and not forming any part of this invention. By connecting the piston, cylinder means 44, '51 and 20 to a compressor by way of a suitable control circuit including suitable valves, pressure fluid can be applied sequentially to the aforesaid means for operating the latter in the preferred sequence. Such control circuits are well known in the art.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for securing a breast flap portion of a loose outsole to a loose heel at least one of the latter being applied With an adhesive, first support means for supporting a portion of an outsole having a breast flap portion freely extending therefrom; second support means for supporting a heel to be assembled with the outsole, at least one of said means being movable with respect to the other of said means between a first position in which the heel and the outsole are spaced from each other and a second position in which the heel and the breast flap portion of the outsole are adjacent to each other; tuming means carried by said first support means, said turning means including a portion adapted to engage the free breast flap portion of the outsole supported by said first support means and movable with respect to said first support means, when said one means is in said first position thereof, for bending the breast flap portion of the outsole with respect to the supported portion thereof to a position where the former portion is located in a plane transverse to the plane of the latter portion; and pressing means operative to press said breast flap portion of the outsole to the portion of the heel adjacent thereto when said one means is in said second position thereof to cause the breast flap portion to be adhesively applied to the heel.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said one means and said turning means are operatively connected and said portion of said turning means moves with respect to said first support means bending the breast flap portion of the outsole to its transverse position in response to movement of said one means to said second position thereof.

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said first support means is stationary and said second support means is movable with respect thereto, both of said support means including supporting surface portions which are substantially coplanar in both said first and second positions of said second movable support means.

4. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said second support means is movable, said turning means including a clamping member having a pair of jaws pivotally carried by said first support means and adapted to clamp therebetween the free end of the breast flap portion of the outsole, said jaws being pivotable between a position in which the breast flap portion of the outsole is substantially coplanar with the remaining portion of the outsole supported by said first support means to a position in which the breast flap portion is located in a plane transverse to the plane of the remaining portion of the outsole.

'5. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said pressing means comprises an expansible member adapted to engage the side of the breast flap portion of the outsole which is opposite the side facing the heel, and means for expanding said expansible member causing the outsole to be firmly pressed against the heel.

=6. he combination according to claim 5, wherein said expansible member includes an inflatable portion, said means for expanding comprising pressure fluid means connected to said inflatable portion for expanding the latter.

7. The combination according to claim 5, wherein said pressing means further include shifting means for shifting said expansible member, prior to expansion thereof, from a first position where said expansion member is located in the region of but at least slightly spaced from the breast flap portion of the outsole to a second position where said expansion member engages said outsole.

8. The combination according to claim 1, further comprising mounting means pivotably supporting said pressing means for movement from a position laterally spaced from the outsole supported by said first support means and a second position where said pressing means directly overlie the outsole.

9. The combination according to claim 8, wherein said mounting means further includes means for changing the elevation of said pressing means relative to said first support means in response to movement of said pressing means between said laterially spaced and said overlying positions.

10. The combination according to claim 9, further comprising hydraulic drive means operatively connected to said mounting means for simultaneously moving said pressing means from said space to said overlying position while lowering said pressing means toward said outsole.

11. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said first support means includes at least one locating member adapted to engage the outsole and secure the same in desired position on said first support means and said second support means includes at least one securing member adapted to engage the face end of a heel placed in inverted condition on said second support means and to secure the same on said second support means in such position.

12. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said second support means are movable with respect to said first support means in a first direction, in a substantially horizontal plane, and said turning means are mounted on said first support means for turning movement about an axis in said plane perpendicular to said first direction of movement, said combination further comprising transmission means connecting said second support means with said turning means whereby said turning means will turn about said axis in response to movement of said second support means.

13. The combination according to claim 12, wherein said second support means includes a horizontal support surface and carries vertically movable securing means adapted to engage and press downward on the free end of a heel whose other end is supported on said support surface, leaving unobstructed the inner side face of the heel which faces the outsole, said portion of said turning means engaging only the free end of the breast flap of the outsole leaving the remainder of the breast flap unobstructed and said portion of said turning means moving to a position at a higher elevation with respect to said support means than the elevation of the uppermost part of the heel whereby said second support means carrying said heel may be freely moved into position adjacent the outsole after said turning means has bent said breast flap.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 160,583 3/1875 Froehlich 12--142 2,114,399 4/1938 Nutt 12--l42 3,056,149 10/1962 Gadd 12-164 3,075,209 1/1963 Elliott et a1. 1216.4

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Examiner. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR SECURING A BREAST FLAP PORTION OF A LOOSE OUTSOLE TO A LOOSE HEEL AT LEAST ONE OF THE LATTER BEING APPLIED WITH AN ADHESIVE, FIRST SUPPORT MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A PORTION OF AN OUTSOLE HAVING A BREAST FLAP PORTION FREELY EXTENDING THEREFROM; SECOND SUPPORT MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A HEEL TO BE ASSEMBLED WITH THE OUTSOLE, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEANS BEING MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER OF SAID MEANS BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH THE HEEL AND THE OUTSOLE ARE SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH THE HEEL AND THE BREAST FLAP PORTION OF THE OUTSOLE ARE ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER; TURNING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FIRST SUPPORT MEANS, SAID TURNING MEANS INCLUDING A PORTION ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE FREE BREAST FLAP PORTION OF THE OUTSOLE SUPPORTED BY SAID FIRST SUPPORT MEANS AND MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST SUPPORT MEANS, WHEN SAID ONE MEANS IS IN SAID FIRST POSITION THEREOF, FOR BENDING THE BREAST FLAP PORTION OF THE OUTSOLE WITH RESPECT TO THE SUPPORTED PORTION THEREOF TO A POSITION WHERE THE FORMER PORTION IS LOCATED IN A PLANE TRANSVERSE TO THE PLANE OF THE LATTER PORTION; AND PRESSING MEANS OPERATIVE TO PRESS SAID BREAST FLAP PORTION OF THE OUTSOLE OF THE PORTION OF THE HEEL ADJACENT THERETO WHEN SAID ONE MEANS IS IN SAID SECOND POSITION THEREOF TO CAUSE THE BREAST FLAP PORTION TO BE ADHESIVELY APPLIED TO THE HEEL. 